The present invention relates generally to conveyors and particularly to a novel conveyor construction, which is especially but not exclusively suitable for use in scraper conveyors.
The invention will be described with respect to a scraper conveyor, but it is not intended to be limited to this application.
In conveyors, particularly in scraper conveyors, a conveyor trough is provided which is usually composed of a plurality of longitudinally adjacent trough sections, which must be connected with one another. It is known to effect such connections by means of bolts, chain links or even rope connectors. Scraper conveyors are widely used in mining applications in which the surface on which they rest or the lateral surfaces of which then may come in contact, is frequently rough and uneven. For this reason, the connection between adjacent trough sections of such a conveyor should be such that it not only holds the connected trough sections together, but also permits a certain relative angular displacement in vertical and horizontal direction, within a limited range. On the other hand, care must be exercised that the trough sections remain properly aligned with one another, in order to avoid interference with the scraper chain or chains that move in the trough sections.
Experience has shown that in certain instances, particularly when these prior art conveyors are used in conjunction with high-production automatic coal mining machines, for instance of the coal plough type the instrumentalities used for connecting the consecutive trough sections are not as effective as is desirable. This is particularly true if such a conveyor is used in conjunction not only with a coal-removing machine but also in connection with a walking mine-roof support. When such a mine-roof support is advanced from one location to another, it is inevitable that consecutive conveyor sections be frequently angled relatively sharply with reference to one another. This causes substantially stresses to act upon the connecting and centering instrumentalities that have been used in the prior art, leading to damage and destruction. If bolts are used, the associated nuts are frequently simply stripped or the shaft of the bolt will be torn. This then requires repairs which are time consuming and which require unnecessary down-time. In instances when it is necessary under these circumstances to remove nuts, this is frequently very difficult, or not possible at all, because of corrosion due to the ambient moisture underground, or because of other problems. This then causes further difficulties.